Bear Cub Petting Zoo Bill Will Come Up Again In 2013

State lawmakers start their new session this week. Some of the first bills likely to come up would ease restrictions on owning and breeding large carnivores like tigers and bears.

Black bear at a Michigan petting zoo.

Credit photo_phan / Flickr

Similar bills passed the state House and Senate last month. But Governor Rick Snyder vetoed them. Part of the legislation would have eased breeding restrictions and changed some licensing requirements for zoos. The governor said the language would compromise public safety.

Snyder says he does support a measure letting the public interact with bear cubs up to 36 weeks old at petting zoos. Right now, the cubs can’t be older than 20 weeks.